TDEE method: Am I Doing this Right?

Nouurann

I'm about to switch from MFP's method to the TDEE method due to recommendations from MFPers! It's just not totally making sense in my head.

Currently, at 5'5/5'6 and 137 pounds, MFP tells me to eat 1,550 calories a day to lose half a pound a month. Admittedly that tends to be too low for me, so I usually eat upwards 1,800 (which is my maintenance). However, when I exercise and eat back my exercise calories I don't usually have a problem staying with my deficit. I use my fitbit to calculate my burned calories which usually gives me between an extra 200-500 calories a day to work with, so some days I'm eating 2,000 calories while (supposedly) keeping my deficit. I've been losing weight, but super slowly- 2 pounds a month when I'm diligent.

So now, I'm trying to calculate my TDEE an subtract 20%. I used http://www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc/, defining my activity level as "lightly active" (is that accurate? 25-ish minutes of intended cardio 5 - 6 days a week, 4x/week of various strength exercises with a trainer, as well as waitressing 3x a week). That gives me a TDEE of 2,153. 2,153 - 20% is 1,722 calories a day. With the TDEE method I do not add back exercise calories, correct? Shouldn't my calories provided from MFP and TDEE method be close? Some days on MFP I can eat up to 2,100, but the TDEE method would max out at 1,722. Was I overestimating my calories through my fitbit? Does this sound reasonable?

StaciMarie1974

You might be overthinking it... You mentioned you have a Fitbit? What is your average daily total burn according to Fitbit? This is your TDEE. Granted, Fitbit might be off slightly. So take that x .95. Which would assume its off by 5%.

Lets say your Fitbit burn average is 2100. (Easier to do examples with numbers.) Take off 5%: 2100 * .95 = 1995 This just gives you a little buffer since you can't know for sure the Fitbit is perfect.

To get a deficit take off 10-20% depending on how much weight you have to lose. More weight to lose, you can manage to be more aggressive.

1995 * .80 = 1596
1995 * .90 = 1796

Eat between 1600-1800.

MFP should equal Fitbit, assuming you have them set to the same goals. They tend to be off slightly due to rounding. Example yesterday Fitbit shows I was 74 calories over, MFP showed I was 84 over.

MFP & TDEE should work out to the same, or close, if you average it out for a week. So MFP might be something like 1500 1800 1900 1700 2100 1400 1400 with TDEE being 1700. Assuming, again that you have the same goals. MFP goal is based on weight per week to lose while TDEE is a % so they won't be exact. MFP also assumes you enter accurate info for calories burned on exercise, which is not necessary when you have a tracker to do that for you.

kpkitten

If you're using FItbit, properly synced with MFP, you're already doing TDEE method. Your Fitbit will tell MFP to adjust your calorie goal up (or down, if you have negative adjustments enabled) according to your activity that day, so that MFP's "calorie goal" will be Calories burned minus Target deficit.
Using a calculator based on activity levels will be less accurate than using a Fitbit which takes every day as it comes and effectively has infinite levels.

If you're not losing at the rate Fitbit/MFP expects, then it is overestimating your calories out or you are underestimating your calories in. However, you say you're aiming for 1/2pound per month - I assume you mean per week, in which case, 2lbs a month is on target. If you want to lose faster, increase your deficit, but you'll be more accurate sticking with MFP and Fitbit and a bigger deficit, than changing to an "activity level" based TDEE.

SezxyStef

Nouurann wrote: »

I'm about to switch from MFP's method to the TDEE method due to recommendations from MFPers! It's just not totally making sense in my head.

Currently, at 5'5/5'6 and 137 pounds, MFP tells me to eat 1,550 calories a day to lose half a pound a month. Admittedly that tends to be too low for me, so I usually eat upwards 1,800 (which is my maintenance). However, when I exercise and eat back my exercise calories I don't usually have a problem staying with my deficit. I use my fitbit to calculate my burned calories which usually gives me between an extra 200-500 calories a day to work with, so some days I'm eating 2,000 calories while (supposedly) keeping my deficit. I've been losing weight, but super slowly- 2 pounds a month when I'm diligent.

So now, I'm trying to calculate my TDEE an subtract 20%. I used http://www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc/, defining my activity level as "lightly active" (is that accurate? 25-ish minutes of intended cardio 5 - 6 days a week, 4x/week of various strength exercises with a trainer, as well as waitressing 3x a week). That gives me a TDEE of 2,153. 2,153 - 20% is 1,722 calories a day. With the TDEE method I do not add back exercise calories, correct? Shouldn't my calories provided from MFP and TDEE method be close? Some days on MFP I can eat up to 2,100, but the TDEE method would max out at 1,722. Was I overestimating my calories through my fitbit? Does this sound reasonable?

MFP uses NEAT...calories need pre exercise so no it won't be the same.

and why 20% that's about 3/4lb-1lb a week....

Try 10% and try this formula

Total calories consumed +(lbs lostx3500)/#days.

Take your data from MFP for about 21-28 days and that is your TDEE not some estimate from a website...

Oh and only use TDEE if you have consistent exercise.

StaciMarie1974

Or to make things even simpler just watch your Fitbit app to make sure you're in the deficit range you want to be in. Move more to earn more calories if you need to.

*I say watch the Fitbit app (set calories to sedentary on your Fitbit dashboard) because it will only add calories to your allowance as you move more. Sometimes MFP shows a higher Fitbit calorie allowance early in the day, expecting you to be active, and then takes them away if you're not.

Right now Fitbit says I'm 104 over - I've logged dinner - but I know I'm running tonight so I actually will earn calories for afternoon snacks.

SezxyStef

StaciMarie1974 wrote: »

Or to make things even simpler just watch your Fitbit app to make sure you're in the deficit range you want to be in. Move more to earn more calories if you need to.

*I say watch the Fitbit app (set calories to sedentary on your Fitbit dashboard) because it will only add calories to your allowance as you move more. Sometimes MFP shows a higher Fitbit calorie allowance early in the day, expecting you to be active, and then takes them away if you're not.

Right now Fitbit says I'm 104 over - I've logged dinner - but I know I'm running tonight so I actually will earn calories for afternoon snacks.

what if you can't run?

using an activity tracker doesn't make it easier.

itsthehumidity

Fitbit overestimates calories based on activity. By numbers alone I should have been losing a pound a week for some time, with a 500 calorie daily deficit. I was losing at the rate of a 200 calorie deficit (much more slowly). My metabolism is normal, and I was logging my foods. Fitbit was the culprit, and researching this further showed that it along with pretty much all activity trackers overestimates/inflates calories burned from activity.

StaciMarie1974

Was talking about my current Fitbit calories in vs calories out status. Was not saying anyone else needs to or should run. As of right now Fitbit says I've overeaten, have prelogged all my food. I get most of my activity in the evening, after work. If something happens like I pass out after actually eating dinner and get no further activity in, I'd be over on calories by about 100.

Using a tracker makes it easier IF you actually make use of the tracker, understand your own tendencies, etc. Wearing it is not a magic lose weight tool, but it can be a useful tool.

I know for my own use that Fitbit's burn is pretty close to being on target for me. If I eat under what Fitbit shows burned, I lose weight but I'm trying to maintain. For others, they can track their actual results to expected. But in the meantime, they can assume a slight error rate and work that into their deficit. So instead of 500 for 1 pound/week, go for 600 for a little buffer.

SezxyStef wrote: »

what if you can't run?

using an activity tracker doesn't make it easier.

TimothyFish

I don't like the "TDEE method", all you really would need to do is use your average calorie consumption from the last several days or weeks. If you've been losing weight, then that is the same as average TDEE minus some percent.

lemurcat12

itsthehumidity wrote: »

Fitbit overestimates calories based on activity. By numbers alone I should have been losing a pound a week for some time, with a 500 calorie daily deficit. I was losing at the rate of a 200 calorie deficit (much more slowly). My metabolism is normal, and I was logging my foods. Fitbit was the culprit, and researching this further showed that it along with pretty much all activity trackers overestimates/inflates calories burned from activity.

Fitbit was right on for me when I used it.

OP, if you go on your Fitbit account you should be able to see your average estimated burn for the past month and your average estimated calories. If you subtract the calories from the burn it should indicate what Fitbit estimated your loss to be. If that's right, and it's a loss you are okay with, eat the average calorie amount. If you want to raise or lower the loss rate a bit, adjust. If Fitbit is off, you'll want to adjust it up or down. (If this isn't clear you can post the numbers and people can help.)

Once you have actual results there's no reason to mess with the calculators.

However, I think the reason your calculation is coming in low compared to what you've been doing is that 20% is a higher loss rate (as SezxyStef said) and your activity sounds higher than what "lightly active" probably is--I'd try IIFYM.com and Scooby and the exercise days per week estimates. But again no need to do that since you have actual numbers.